Sport Manawatū's SeeHerBeHer Month launches with Engaging Youth Breakfast

Chloe Bishop (standing) and Fran McEwen talk to students, including Sam Albert, 17, about ideas to increase young people's involvement in active recreation. Photo / Judith Lacy

The tables were turned on the adults at the first event in Sport Manawatū's SeeHerBeHer Month.

Working in groups the adults, who are involved in organising active recreation, were challenged to design an ideal physical activity for young people. They then had to pitch their ideas to seven girls from Freyberg High School and Palmerston North Girls' High School.

The ideas included a multisport Palmy youth festival with bands that would be marketed on Tik Tok; backyard games the New Zealand edition with water and field games; and doing a range of challenges in Queenstown.

One group suggested a trip to the moon to play sport. Free Wi-Fi would be included and participants wouldn't have to go into MIQ on their return.

The final group suggested an amazing race that fostered leadership, team building and communication skills. Participants could drive a Ferrari to the Cloud 9 Trampoline Park then tandem bike to the river pathway. The grand prize would be money and donuts.

Fran McEwan and Chloe Bishop were the guest speakers at the Engaging Youth Breakfast on Friday. McEwan is active recreation lead at Sport New Zealand and the founder of The Shift Foundation. It works in partnership with other organisations to improve the wellbeing of girls and young women.

Bishop, active recreation consultant at Sport NZ, challenged the adults – who came from schools, UCOL, councils, regional sports organisations and clubs, to aim for quality youth engagement.

She encouraged them to create space for diverse youth voices, not just those who put their hands up. A way to do this is by asking the confident to be peer data collectors. While time-consuming, adults should go into a youth setting and take the time to build trust.

Adults involved in active recreation must really listen to young people and be prepared to change their ideas, Bishop said. When people have put their heart into an idea, feedback it's missing the mark can be quite tough.

Young people are experts in their own lives and know what they want, so be prepared to learn from them and their experiences, she said. Young people can be teachers and technology is a good example of this.

SeeHerBeHer Month is about encouraging more women and girls to participate in active recreation and sporting opportunities. The full programme is available on Sport Manawatū's website.